Canadian Girl Guides protest Trump by suspending travel to US

In protest of US President Donald Trump’s border policies, the Girl Guides of Canada is suspending all group travel to their southern neighbor. The suspension will go into effect in September, and will include both previously approved and future trips.

In a statement to CTV News, the Girl Guides of Canada’s media team said, "This decision is rooted in our commitment to inclusivity and the safety of all our members. It was prompted by the recent restrictions put on equal entry into the United States, as some members may hold citizenship from non-Canadian countries and could be impacted by the restrictions."

The group added, "At Girl Guides of Canada, we prioritize creating a safe, inclusive and accepting environment for all members. These values extend to the travel experiences we offer." The group, which is the Canadian equivalent of the Girl Scouts in the US, did not say how long the suspension on travel to the US will be in place.

Scouts Canada, a similar youth organization in the country, is still allowing travel to the US, but is monitoring "recent developments surrounding U.S. entry policies and their potential impact on our members." A spokesperson for the group told the outlet, "We strongly encourage our members to exercise caution and plan thoughtfully." They added, "Our approach remains rooted in our commitment to ensuring safe, inclusive, and equitable experiences for all youth and volunteers in our programs, at home and abroad."

In June, Trump issued a proclamation restricting entry for nationals coming from 12 nations, and partially restricting entry for those in seven countries. Those 12 restricted were Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, after these countries were "found to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States." The seven countries partially restricted were "Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela."